3/27/2016

Subgrade Preparation

Tim Crosby: Grading Superintendent

Chris DeJulio: Site Manager

Subgrade Preparation

 What is Subgrade
 Subgrade verses Subbase
 Poor Subgrade
 Types of Subgrade preparation
 Grading
 Compaction and Testing

Subgrade

 The soil is prepared and compacted to

support a structure or a pavement
system
 The bed of ground on which the
foundations of a road are built.

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Subbase

 Subbase is the layer of aggregate

material laid on the subgrade, on
which the base course layer is located.
 Subbase is often the main load-
bearing layer of the pavement.
 Its role is to spread the load evenly
over the subgrade

Typical Road Section

Importance of Quality
Subgrade
 Provide good support for placement and
compaction of base section and pavement
 Limit pavement deflections to acceptable
limits
 Minimize differential movement due to frost
and Shrinking/swelling soils
 Promote uniformity of support (Key element
for good long term pavement performance)

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Poor Subgrade

 Will not support the pavement

 Does not distribute the load properly
 Asphalt will deteriorate quickly
 Costly repairs will be needed

Alligator Cracking

Alligator Cracking

 Alligator cracking is associated

structural failure
 Can be due to weakness in the
surface, base or sub grade; a surface
or base that is too thin
 Can also be a result of poor drainage
or a combination of all three

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Asphalt Heaving

Asphalt Heaving

 The cause is the freezing and thawing

that comes with above and below
freezing temperatures that start the
formation of ice lenses
 Poor drainage in subgrade or base
 Clay and silty soils are more
susceptible to frost heave than better
draining soil mixtures

Asphalt Rutting

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Asphalt Rutting

Asphalt Rutting

 Rutting results from consolidation or

lateral movement of any of the
pavement layers or the subgrade
under traffic
 It is caused by insufficient pavement
thickness; lack of compaction of the
asphalt, stone base or soil

Types of subgrade
preparation
 Modification and Stabilization
 Removal and Replace
 Geosynthetic Reinforcement
 Moisture Conditioning
 Full Depth Reclamation

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Modification and
Stabilization
 Subgrade treatment that is intended to
provide a stable working platform
during construction.
Adding chemicals like fly ash or cement
Replacing existing soils with aggregates
Geosynthetic reinforcement with
aggregates
Moisture conditioning

Adding chemicals like fly

ash or cement

Chemical Stabilization

 This work consists of treating the

subgrade by combining chemicals such
as fly ash, lime, or cement and water
with the pulverized soil material to the
specified depth and compaction
requirements

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Soil Stabilization Benefits

 Lower material costs – reduces base

and pavement thickness
 Lower construction costs – eliminates
cost of material removal and
replacement. 30% - 50% savings
 Increased Strength – a dramatic
increase in the CBR can be achieved

Soil Stabilization Benefits

 Longer durability – stabilized soil is

highly resistant to water and frost,
which increases the lifespan of the
subgrade
 Increased environmental responsibility
– stabilizing the existing soil eliminates
the need to export the poor
undesirable soil and import new fill

Remove and Replace

 Simple Procedure
that does not
require specialized
equipment

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Removal and Replace

 This process will consist of removing

the unsuitable soil and replacing it
with aggregates such as base or sand

 Geosynthetics are often placed on the

surface of the excavated subgrade
prior to placement of aggregates

Geosynthetic reinforcement
with aggregates

Geosynthetics

 Placed in pavement bases to preform

following function
Reinforcement
Separation
Filtration

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Geosynthetics

 The primary purpose of using

geosynthetics in the pavement design
is to reduce reflective cracking in the
asphalt and resist moisture intrusion
into the underlying pavement structure

Geosynthetic Benefits

 Improves structural capability of soil

 Allows the use of poorer quality of
soils to be used in construction
 Construction time can be reduced
 Drastically increases the durability of
subgrade

Geosynthetic Benefits

 Reduced construction cost due to the

optimization of pavement layer
configuration
 Dramatic extension of pavement life
 Reduces asphalt and base quantities
due to added subgrade strength

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Benefit of Geogrid

Moisture Conditioning

Moisture Conditioning

 This work consists of blading, shaping,

wetting, and compacting the subgrade
with moisture and density control
 Moisture Conditioning reduces or
increases the soil moisture content to
be compacted to the required density
 Controls shrinking and swelling of soils

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Moisture Conditioning
Benefits
 Allows contractors to expedite work
 Reduction of construction costs
 Improved utilization of existing
materials
 Greater environmental protection
 Increased short-term and long-term
savings

Full Depth Reclamation

Full Depth Reclamation

Process
 The total asphalt surface is pulverized
plus a predetermined portion of the
base
 The pulverized base is compacted and
graded
 The new stabilized base is now ready
for paving

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FDR Benefits

 Cheaper – At least 50% less expensive

than traditional road repair methods
 Faster – Get 2-3 times more repairs
done in the same time period
 Easier – No excavating, no loading, no
hauling off and dumping old asphalt

FDR Benefits

 Base is stabilized with pulverized road

surface
 No reflective cracking!
 Permanent repair, not a temporary fix
 Environmentally friendly

Grading

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Fine Grading

 Fine grade is required for the final trimming

and checking of the cross section.

Equipment Maintenance

 Make sure to always inspect all

equipment daily
 Always check cutting edges on
equipment
 Cutting edges are wear parts and need
to be replaced often
 This will save money in the long run

Checking grade

 A string line can be stretched across

adjoining grade stakes
 The subgrade is checked by measuring
down to the known offset distance
from the string line to the dirt
 Straight edge – easiest way to check
uniformity of subgrade

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Importance of uniform
subgrade
 Strength
Make sure you have full pavement section.
 Yield
Uniform subgrade will optimize yield.
 Cost
Asphalt is for more expensive than base
 Smoothness
HMA compacts differentially, thicker areas
compact more than thinner areas which will
affect pavement smoothness

Cost Comparison

 Proper grading has been done and

checked
 2,000’ long road
 38’ in width
 6” depth of asphalt
 2,787 tons of asphalt required at
$65/ton for material and placement

Cost of Material and

Placement

$181,155

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Cost Comparison

 Poorly graded road that is ½” deep on

average
 Same dimensions on road
 Depth is now 6 ½”
 3,019 tons required at $65/ton for
material and placement

Cost of Material and

Placement

$196,235
 ½” extra asphalt cost an additional
$15,080
 1” extra asphalt would cost $30,160

Compaction

 Compaction occurs when a force

compresses the soil and pushes air
and water out of it so that it becomes
more dense. Compaction is more
severe when the soil is wet and less
able to withstand compression.

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Why Compact?
 5 reasons to compact
 - Increases load-bearing capacity

 - Prevents soil settlement and frost damage

 - Provides stability

 - Reduces water seepage, swelling and contraction

 - Reduces settling of soil

Types of compaction

 There are four types of compaction

effort on soil or asphalt:
 Vibration
 Impact
 Kneading
 Pressure

Two types of compaction

force
 Static force

 Vibratory force

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Static Force

 Static force is the deadweight of the

machine, applying downward force on the
soil surface, compressing the soil.
 Static compaction is confined to upper soil
layers.
 Kneading and pressure are two examples of
static compaction.

Vibratory Force
 Vibratory force uses a mechanism, usually engine-
driven, to create a downward force.
 The compactors deliver a rapid sequence of blows
to the surface, affecting the top layers as well as
deeper layers. Vibration moves through the
material, setting particles in motion and moving
them closer together for the highest density
possible.
 Based on the materials being compacted, a certain
amount of force must be used to overcome the
cohesive nature of particular particles.

Compaction Equipment

 Choosing the right equipment for the

job is vital to achieving proper
compaction.

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Deciding Factors

 Soil type
Cohesive
Granular
 Thickness of Lift and Machine
Performance
 Compaction Specifications

Cohesive soils

 Machine with high impact force is

required to ram the soil and force the
air out to achieve compaction.
 Pad Foot or Sheep Foot Roller with
vibratory option
 Jumping Jack

Granular soils

 Require vibratory action to move them

or Kneading
 Smooth Drum Roller
 Plate Compacter
 Wheel Rolling

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Thickness of Lift and

Machine Performance
 The thicker the lift the heavier piece of
equipment needs to be.
Materials
Vibrating Sheep foot Static Sheep foot Vibrating Plate Compactor Scraper
Rammer Grid Roller Vibrating Roller Rubber-tired Roller
Scraper Vibrating Sheep foot Loader
Grid Roller

Pressure Kneading
Lift Thickness Impact Vibration
(with kneading) (with pressure)

Gravel 12+ Poor No Good Very Good

Sand 10+/- Poor No Excellent Good

Silt 6+/- Good Good Poor Excellent

Clay 6+/- Excellent Very Good No Good

Compaction
Specifications
 Method Specification
Detailed instructions specify machine
type, lift depths, number of passes,
machine speed and moisture content.
 End-result Specification
 Engineers indicate final compaction
requirements, allowing the contractor to
choose what is the best method to
achieve compaction.

Compaction Equipment

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Rollers

 Smooth drum
 Padded drum Sheep Foot
 Rubber-tired
 Static and vibratory sub-categories
 Walk-behind and ride-on

Smooth Drum Roller

Smooth Drum

 Smooth-drum
machines are ideal
for both soil and
asphalt

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Sheep Foot Roller

Padded Drum / Sheep

Foot
 Appropriate for
cohesive soils.
 The drum pads
provide a kneading
action on soil.

Rubber Tire Roller

 7 to 11 tires that
have an
overlapping pattern
 Typically a static
roller
 Compaction effort is
pressure and
kneading

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Wheel Rolling

Jumping Jack

Rammers / Jumping Jack

 Deliver a high impact force making

them an excellent choice for cohesive
and semi-cohesive soils
 Three types of compaction: impact,
vibration and kneading.

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Plate Compacter

Vibratory Plates

 Low amplitude and high frequency,

designed to compact granular soils
and asphalt.
 Type of compaction: vibration

Walk Behind

 Appropriate for
cohesive soils
 Ideal for small
areas

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Soil types

 Soil types are classified by grain size,

determined by passing the soil through
sieves to screen or separate the different
grain sizes.
 A well-graded soil consists of a wide range
of particle sizes with the smaller particles
filling voids between larger particles.
 The are three basic soil groups:

Three Soil Groups

 Cohesive
 Granular
 Organic (this soil is
not suitable for
compaction)

Cohesive

 Cohesive soils have the smallest particles. Clays

range from .00004" to .002".
 Cohesive soils are dense and tightly bound
together. They are plastic when wet and can be
molded, but become very hard when dry.
 Proper water is essential for proper compaction.
 Cohesive soils usually require a force such as
impact or pressure.
 Silt has a noticeably lower cohesion than
clay. However, silt is still heavily reliant on water
content.

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Granular

 Granular soils range from .003" to .08"

(sand) and .08" to 1.0" (fine to medium
gravel).
 Granular soils are known for their water-
draining properties.
 Sand and gravel obtain maximum
density in either a fully dry or saturated
state.
 Testing curves are relatively flat so
density can be obtained regardless of
water content.

Guide to Soil Types

What to look for Appearance/Feel Water Movement When Moist When Dry

Granular soils, fine sands Coarse grains can be seen. When water and soil are Very little or no plasticity Little or no cohesive
and silts Feels gritty when rubbed shaken in palm of hand, strength when dry. Soil
between fingers they mix. When shaking is sample will crumble easily.
stopped they separate

Cohesive soils, mixes and Grains cannot be seen by When water and soil are Plastic and sticky. Can be Has high strength when
clays naked eye. Feels smooth shaken in palm of hand, rolled dry. Crumbles with
and greasy when rubbed they will not mix difficulty. Slow saturation in
between fingers water.

Materials

Vibrating Sheep foot Static Sheep foot Vibrating Plate Compactor Scraper
Rammer Grid Roller Vibrating Roller Rubber-tired Roller
Scraper Vibrating Sheep foot Loader
Grid Roller

Pressure Kneading
Lift Thickness Impact Vibration
(with kneading) (with pressure)

Gravel 12+ Poor No Good Very Good

Sand 10+/- Poor No Excellent Good

Silt 6+/- Good Good Poor Excellent

Clay 6+/- Excellent Very Good No Good

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Fill Materials

Compaction
Permeability Foundation Support Pavement Sub grade Expansive
Difficulty

Gravel Very High Excellent Excellent No Very Easy

Sand Medium Good Good No Easy

Silt Medium Low Poor Poor Some Some

Clay None+ Moderate Poor Difficult Very Difficult

Organic Low Very Poor Not Acceptable Some Very Difficult

Moisture vs. Soil Density

 Moisture or water content is key to
achieving density in compaction.
Water allows the particles of material
to move together and decrees voids.
 Not enough water particles can not
slide past each other.
 Too much water and water voids are
created.
 The optimum moisture content is
when compaction will be achieved the
easiest.

Density Curve

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Testing

Why Should We Test?

 Measures density of soil for comparing

the degree of compaction vs. specs
 Measures the effect of moisture on soil
density vs. specs
 Provides a moisture density curve
identifying optimum moisture
 Save Money

Types of Tests

 Proctor Test
 Modified Proctor Test
 Hand Test

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Proctor Test

 Determines the maximum density of a

specific soil.
 Tests the effects of moisture on soil
density
 Standard Proctor
 Modified Proctor

Standard Proctor

 A small soil sample is taken from the

jobsite. A standard weight is dropped
several times on the soil. The material
weighed and then oven dried for 12 hours in
order to evaluate water content

Modified Proctor

 This is similar to the Proctor Test except a

hammer is used to compact material for
greater impact, The test is normally
preferred in testing materials for higher
shearing strength.

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Field Testing

Hand Test

Hand Test
 Pick up a handful of soil.
 Squeeze it in your hand.
 If the soil is powdery and will not retain the shape
made by your hand, it is too dry.
 If it shatters when dropped, it is too dry.
 If the soil is moldable and breaks into only a couple
of pieces when dropped, it has the right amount of
moisture for proper compaction.
 If the soil is plastic in your hand, leaves traces of
moisture on your fingers and stays in one piece
when dropped, it has too much moisture for
compaction.

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Nuclear Density
(ASTM D2292-91)

 Nuclear Density meters are a quick and fairly

accurate way of determining density and moisture
content. The meter uses a radioactive isotope
source (Cesium 137) at the soil surface
(backscatter) or from a probe placed into the soil
(direct transmission). The isotope source gives off
photons (usually Gamma rays) which radiate back
to the mater's detectors on the bottom of the
unit. Dense soil absorbs more radiation than loose
soil and the readings reflect overall density. Water
content (ASTM D3017) can also be read, all within
a few minutes. A relative Proctor density with the
compaction results from the test.

Proof Rolling

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Why Proof Rolling

 Point out soft or pumping subgrades

 Test anticipated stress levels under
repeated load traffic
 Identify areas where density levels are
acceptable, however the material is
still not stable.
 Simple and Cheap form of testing

Lets Review

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Questions ?

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